101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

• #4 in Best Architecture Books

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I don't remember ever having a textbook for design studio - undoubtedly because this book hadn't been published yet. If it had, I would have had a wonderful little book that breaks down five years worth of architectural wisdom into 101 pages. I recommend reading it (about a ten minute read) before and a couple of times during the design process to refocus yourself. If nothing else, it should be required reading for first year students because it will teach you to speak architect. 'Parti' 'Figure/Ground' 'Positive Space' 'Negative Space' and all the other jargon architects tend to use are all defined here.

The book contains advice on both the technical and the intellectual. Hints for everything from lettering to post modern theory share page space with reminders as varied as 'design in section' to 'if you can't explain your design in terms your grandmother understands, you don't understand your own design.'

Nearly everything in the book is a hit. Even the cover is made from chip board. If you're a poor architecture student, scrape together some coffee money and get a copy. If you're already an architect, get a copy and remember a time before design problems were strip malls and warehouses.

The book is cute but small, large type, with few words and lots of empty spaces. Even pages include drawings, most of them useless (believe me; you don't need a sketch of a triangle, a rectangle and so, to know that those are "figures"; or a guy sitting on a desk to imagine he is an architect) being there for the sole purpose of pumping the book up to reach a minimal number of pages.
One page contains just this: "Architecture is the thoughtful making of space.", opposite to a sketchy profile portrait of Louis Kahn. Amazing. But for short, the record goes to page 62: "Less is a bore" (A too known already epigram from Arch. Robert Venturi)
Several pages are dedicated to the cool-sounding and totally vague idea of the "parti" [par-TEE] which, freed from verbal garbage, means a sketch of the general concept of a building. (Take note of this buzz word to impress laypersons). Lots of other pseudo philosophical mumbo-jumbo: zeitgeist, holistic, a little Chinese... The usual Kung-Fu gobbledygook wisdom, coming from a book introduced as presenting "in clear and simple language things that tend to be mystified in the classroom".
Simple often is. To the point of being crass: Roll your plans face outward so they will stay put on the table when you unroll them. (Remember: this you learn in Architecture School; a deep discipline, I gather). One page takes 85 words to say this: Make 3D models.
Another can be condensed into: Exert pressure at the beginning and the end of a line. More: "When lettering, slant your horizontals slightly upwards". (Both advises as if everybody is drawing with a pencil these days) ...
Other: When elements or spaces are not explicit but are apparent, they are said to be implied (Wow!. But how I am going to practically use this invaluable breakthrough of information?). More practical info: "Sense of place. Genius loci literally means genius of place. It is used to describe places that are deeply memorable for their architectural and experiential qualities." (Go ahead, use it in your next project). More immediately applicable data on page 35, which just quotes Gertrude Stain: "I like my view but I like to sit with my back turned to it". (Now that I know it, I cannot stop myself from start designing houses). I would say that on an even keel, all quotations here are useless.
I suspect that those individuals giving 5 stars to the book are friends of Frederick, helping him to sell his little (ultimately pathetic) book to fools such as me.
If this is what Mr. Frederick learned in Architecture School, he wasted his time. And mine.

One of those fantastic books that makes you feel smarter for reading it. The 101 little rules or principles that the author distills from his time as an architect are undoubtedly of use to an architect, but are also mind-openers for any curious and design- or art- inclined person.

Each principle is stated in a sentence or two, with an accompanying illustration. Some are specific little rules (the pointlessness of spitting a room with a single step; people are wider in the Winter); some are perspective shaping (about negative space; about meandering ways of getting to somewhere often beating direct ways). The illustrations are elegant and compliment each principle perfectly. You'll find yourself idling over each, as the lessons behind the lessons sink in.

If you have any asthetic inclinations but find yourself dealing too much with words, open this beautiful little book and feel those old synapses firing up.

Great gift too.

I am an architecture student, and with every project in studio, this book is a reference to keep my mind in check. This book should be in every architecture students hands. Simple as that, if your an architecture student this $12 that the book costs is the best $12 you will ever spend.

This is one of those "learn everything in 10 seconds" books
"catchy" but only superficial.
A complete waste of money

While he may seem like he knows whats up from this book this guy is a jerk. He doesn't practice what he preaches. He is a horrible professor which is sad because you think from the book he would be compassionate. He refused to turn in his students final grades because he was using them as a pawn in his evil game.

"101 Things I Learned in Architecture School" is stealth information for the spatially challenged (me.) Each lesson is presented in a two-page format: line drawings and text. The book is written in direct and unpretentious style, making it accessible to professionals as well as the general reader, and the drawings are wonderful. In format, approach, and information, this book reminds me of Norton Juster's forgotten 1963 classic "The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics."

Not Only for Architects

"101 Things I Learned in Architecture School" is an enjoyable, well-designed little book.

As a registered architect since 1968 I sometimes wish I could do a better job of making others understand why we do what we do. Matthew Frederick has captured the essence of what makes most of us tick. Lend this book to non-architect friends and to clients. If you don't get it back, buy another.

From No. 1 "How to draw a line", to No. 101 "Architects are late bloomers", and my favorite, No. 72 "Design with models", this book is a gem.

I've owned this book for two months now, and after skimming through it a few times early on, I've come to where I'm reading it regularly, and with expanded purpose and meaning. Although I'm not an architect, I do work with them, and find architects to be fascinating people. This book brings to life many of the under-pinnings of how architects think and see the world. These foundational aspects of the profession are also quite useful and stimulating to life in general, and therein lies the beauty of this book. #81 is striking to me: "Properly gaining control of the design process tends to feel like one is losing control of the design process." Often, designing our lives requires just such a sense of losing control before the clarity has arrived.

Since we all inhabit designed spaces and visit them daily, this book can offer a tremendous amount of perpsective to enrich that otherwise typically mundane or ignored opportunity of simply noticing how an architect has thought about greeting us. Let "101 Things..." wash over you, and I think you'll find it joyful and meaningful.

This book has little tid bits that every student should know but its not going to make you a better student or give you to much more insight on architecture. You learn these things when the time comes. Its a cute book but not a whole lot to it.

Very insightful, informative and funny! A humoristic, light-hearted take on the architectural education, which sometime tends to be dry... Well, except for studios hours! Frederick's book is quick read that will quickly become any good student's basic reference to answers that sometime we're afraid to ask, such as are my graphics and texts too small on my panel? See 67. Or, is this a good idea to incorporate in my project? See 28. Or, will be a good architect? See 101.

The book's format and presentation makes it easy to grasp the idea or intention of each of the 101 things to be learned, or remembered (pending where one is in his or her architectural education). Its simple and effective drawings convey the message, just like Ching's architectural design guidebook Form, Space and Order. Frederick's book should be placed next to Ching in every student's library... may be even as its author suggests should be kept in plain view in the studio so other can use it!

This is a cute little book. I wouldn't recommend it for students, because they should be learning most of the content of this book. If you are not being taught this stuff then you are not in your architecture library enough and your professors should be teaching better. Still if you get a chance to peruse it in the bookstore and like it, then go ahead. You should probably be purchasing Architecture: Form, Space and Order by Francis D K Ching, or another of his books.

This book is more for the out of touch architects, who have been doing complicated geometries for absurd reasons or the ones who want to do complicated geometries for absurd reasons. This book is like the 5-minute university concept. It brings you back down to earth with brief one page concepts and "realities." Like a summer person is 22" wide and a winter person is 24" wide. The gist being winter clothed people are wider. Or architects typically reach their prime later in life! Something a student might want to know so they can adjust their mindset now! It doesn't have everything you may need, but this book is refreshing for those a little out of touch with design and architecture.

I am not an architect, but interested in design and in the appreciation of architecture. I had hoped to find in this book a repository of design wisdom that I could use in thinking about constructed space.

Frederick condenses basic architectural advice into 101 morsels with appropriate illustrations. The morsels are ordered in as logical a sequence as could be expected from their disparate content, and are varied in nature: from instructions to aphorisms, different forms convey different viewpoints and different levels of certainty. Frederick underlines the certainty of good architectural lettering, but shows the creative tension inherent in architecture by juxtaposing "less is more" with "less is a bore."

All in all, it's a quick, enjoyable read, and I feel a bit wiser after the fact. I preferred Rasmussen's "Experiencing Architecture" for its depth, but this one's a great practical primer.

I have been in the technical realm of the architectural profession so long that it has been a while since I contemplated the other aspects of the profession. It was nice to read a book that was short on pretension and big on the stuff that interested me in Architecture in the first place. This book is a quick read that covers everything from theory to design philosophy to practical application of ideas. Been a long time since I heard someone use the word "Parti" and not want to roll my eyes. This was a fun read and rekindled my love of the profession. Thank you.

101 I learned in Architecture school - objective, clean, sober, direct,splendid book, specially for architects, as I am. Even though, philosophically, it can be read by everyone. It will teach a lot. Congratulations for the author.

Maria Thereza de Barros Camargo
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Was expecting a little more from this book. It doesn't go into a lot of depth and some points hardly scratch the surface.

It does have things that every student should know, but at the same time there's no explanation or reasoning. Some pages are included in the "101" that are simply quotes that do not bear a lot of significance

Little book which can be read in a few hours but that left you a lot of food for thought. A great reading for all kind of designers, not only architects.

Fantastic book for architecture students. Lots of short, simple lessons that make clear all the stuff my instructors never fully explained. What's a "parti?" What is postmodernism? What do positive and negative space have to do with anything? Those and a lot more, plus some well chosen quotes give you a lot to think about and build upon. Highly recommended purchase for beginning students and maybe architects too.

Great little book that takes me back to my college days. It's fun and a great conversation piece.

The book contains 101 ideas and concepts that are explained through text on one page and a simple -pen and ink- sketch on the opposite page. The concepts discussed vary widely from simple drawing techniques to positions of architectural theory through enlightened ideas of form and space composition. The book is a good use for students specially in 1st and 2nd years. And could work as a good reminder for graduated practitioners. But actually not a good use for researchers.

You can end reading this book in less than 20 mins. However you will need to re-read it again and again to explore the ideas more.

My advice to the reader: get use of it -but- not to take it for granted... After all there are some ideas that are controversial and anyone would adapt different "accepted" positions toward it.

Great book with funny and very serious tips. I am an Interior Design major and I look at it for ideas as much as I can. I received it quickly and enjoyed every minute of it.

A very good book. Very direct and to the point. Each page takes you on a different design concept. Easy to understand and very well done. Concepts can be used for areas other than architecture. I've recommended this to other friends already.

I was going to call this a terrific LITTLE book, but it is simply a terrific book. When I ordered it, I didn't know what to expect, but figured the $10 wouldn't kill me. Then I found some sample pages on the publisher's website and thought it looked really cool. When it arrived, I read through it right away (doesn't take too long), and have been rereading it ever since. The format is perfect for rereading -- no chapters, just 101 illustrated lessons I can look at in any order. Whichever one I open it to, I feel like I either learn something new or am reminded of something I need to better integrate into my professional practice. Every architecture student should have this book -- it is more helpful than Ching's, even though much shorter. Every architect should probably have one too.

Conseeding to the fact that I am an architecture freak, and find myself reading on architecture all the time. I often get lost in my own thoughts in architecture and design books because the text often gets overblown with points and explanations that are not needed (dare I say, for decoration and the authors ego).

But not this book. This is the coolest precise book on architecture I have ever seen and makes the task of putting my application portfolio for arch school ten times easier than most other (much longer) arch books out there.

Its not just 101 great tips but an easy and fast read and cheap, no reason not to get it!!!

My only regret is that I didn't see this book until now. Wish I had discovered it sooner. Worth every penny.

I bought this as a gift for someone. I flipped through the book before I wrapped it, and wish I had ordered one for myself. It is a very small book - about 4" X 6".

As a thrid year architecture student, I found this book very helpful. It is a quick read and quite literal. It isnt as "in-depth" as my studio textbooks, however for the price I suggest this book to any student of architecture.

This book is a quick read. His 101 selections are quick and to the point. Each written page has a visual communication to accompany it, so if you're a visual learner, you will appreciate this.

i.e. He writes, "A good presentation meets the Ten-foot Test. The essential elements of the drawings you pin up for a design studio presentation in particular, labels and titles- should be legible from 10 feet away." On the opposing pages is a sketch of a crowd viewing a presentation and a board of what should be legible from 10 feet.

Is this rocket science? No. But sometimes the most obvious isn't always obvious. It's a fast read. I do about 3 or 4 quick pages every night before bed.

We've all heard that we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover--but as with wine bottles, the cover may not be the whole story, but it's not irrelevant either. In this case, the unfinished cardboard front cover, embossed type juxtaposed with pen drawing, classic red/black/white color scheme, and chunky horizontal layout all suggest, rightly, that Mr. Frederick has an aesthetic voice worth listening to. The structure of the book's content--illustrative sketch on the left, general principle with brief explanation below--provides perfect meaty tidbits with no unnecessary fat.

The reason this book should be on every creative person's shelf is that the 101 lessons, while derived from architecture and thought-provoking in their own right, generally can be applied to other art forms, industries, and so forth. I'm an writer working in advertising, and statements such as "A static composition appears to be at rest" could help re-evaluate a print ad--or a photographer framing an image or a painter planning a canvas. Similarly, "design with models" suggests a tactile involvement with one's materials as well as considering ideas from a fresh perspective. These are just two of the 101 examples; I'll keep this book close at hand for creative inspiration along with The Writer's Block, my juggling balls, and my sketchpad.

The book is really nice and concisely covers all the core concepts that are pounded into your head at school. Sometimes the fundamentals are disregarded and this book does a good job in re-engaging ones self. And yes I'm over 13.

This was purchased sort of like a smaller version of architect learning, like a quick user guide. My granson is interested in this field and he is enjoying the boooks.
Thanks

This book is a nugget of information, the aspects of this career most professors in architecture and design school overlook or fail to inform you. It's just may come in handy when you are at an impasse 3 a.m./....

As I said this is not a heavy book. Very approachable for students and will introduce you to all the terms that professors are going to say. Great for a giggle after you graduate and look back at all of the silly things that you learn, do and worry about in architecture school.

I have a BA and MA in art but always felt like I was a missing something...the structure that grounded the imagination. I enjoy building/remodeling and, because of my ability to conceptually understand how forms work together, my husband always said I was an Egyptian architect in a past life and probably worked on the pyramids. This little fun-to-hold book is the answer to my prayers. It puts in words concepts I already subconsciously understood, but didn't realize were architectural in origin; like #34 "Frame a view, don't merely exhibit it" (as a designer, work to carefully shape, size, and place windows such that they are specific to the views and experiences they address). This is my new favorite book - bought the first copy in San Francisco at the DeYoung Museum gift shop - liked it so much I bought three more as gifts. As a professional event planner - I've already applied some of the 101 tips to the design of my tented installations. No need to spend years in architecture school to learn the theories of architecture - this is a great source of easy-to-understand information as well as a great value...and, the physical design of the book is like holding a little piece of sculpture. This may be the smallest most important book you ever buy.

it's a great little thing for anybody who studied architecture and knows something about architecture student's life ... ;) perfect as a memento from an architecture school.

My girlfriend is an architecture student and I am not in the field. I really like talking to her about her project, but needed some insight so that I would have a better idea of what she was describing. This book has not only helped me nail down some of the architecture jargon, but has also taught me a lot about her thought process. I really like the way concepts are really broken down. The quotes and figures are perfectly placed to illustrate the author's points. I recommend this book for any novice that is getting in to architecture. I can definitely see how this would be a handy reference guide and, at points, inspirational source for new architects.

this book is perfect for any age architect or architecture student. Both funny and informative. Buy it!

A delightful book for an engineering type to buy and read. Practical knowledge with some wisdom... I liked this a lot and personally find it useful.

One of the best books I have read.
You can read it in 30 minutes and you will love it

I'm a grad student in architecture and got this book during my second year, but didn't look at it too closely until my thesis project (3rd year). Seriously, this book is like a breath of fresh air in an architecture environment filled by relativism and differing opinions. I have often wondered if there were absolutes in architectural education, and this book sets them out (at least as close to absolutes as you get in our postmodern world). The book mentions that you should initially have a basic parti, or idea, to begin your design; and that parti should inform the whole design. Wow of course, that's so simple and common sense, but rarely heard. This book really breaks it down and gives many little pearls of advice to inspire your thoughts. It helped me get out of a rut I was in with my thesis design. I would definitely recommend this to any architect or architecture student.

i'm an artist working on portfolio to apply for architecture school. I think this book is great inspiration!!

The book was shipped and received with acceptable timing. It arrived in great condition and still in it's plastic wrap. This book has great summaries of the things learned in studio (techniques for drawing, diagramming,etc.) and was a gift to my boyfriend entering grad school. He loved it! This would be exceptionally handy for anyone entering undergraduate studies in architecture or architectural grad school, having never studied architecture before.

There is no need to even love architecture to be inspired by this book. Could you explain what is important to you in 100 small drawings?
It is simple, but smart small advices for architecture students. And each page makes you think. Certainly it could be used by design students.
The book humbled me: I wish I could do the same with nature, evolution, friendship,all kinds of subjects close to my heart: say something precious with 100 small drawings.
I am not sure the book will make you love architecture, but you have to love the author!

Fun little book. I got it as a present and love it! A handy little book to look back on when stuck on a design project.

This is funny and totally agreeable for all people who've attended architecture school. But even if you didn't, you'll understand our pain.